Understanding the Seven Forms of Intelligence

For years, the IQ test has been used to measure intelligence. Originally created by French educators to identify special needs in children, the test has most recently been used as a linear standard to measure people’s comprehensive skills. However, more and more educators are questioning the wisdom and accuracy of IQ tests. Two important factors must be considered when attempting to evaluate intelligence. First, intelligence can be increased. Second, there is more than one form of intelligence.

In fact, I want to identify 7 types of intelligence…

One of the creators of the IQ test, Alfred Binet, confesses that the test was never designed to determine intelligence. Binet said that the scale he created “does not permit the measurement of intelligence because intellectual abilities are not superposable and, therefore, cannot be measured as linear surfaces…”

Concerning a person’s ability to gain intelligence over time Binet said, “Some recent thinkers (have affirmed) that an individual’s intelligence is a fixed quantity; a quantity that cannot be increased. We must protest against this brutal pessimism.”

Armed with these two truth – (1) that there is not one standard of measurement for determining intelligence and (2) that all of us can grow more intelligent over time – let’s take a look at these seven forms of intelligence to see where our intelligence is strongest and where we need to grow…

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(1) Analytical Intelligence

This is the form of intelligence that is measured by the traditional IQ test. It is the ability to analyze complex problems on paper and figure them out using a prescribed method. People who are strongest in this form of intelligence are considered “book smart.” They do well in school because most forms of Western education have been built around this form of thinking.

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(2) Creational Intelligence

This is the artist. Some attention is given to developing this type of intelligence in formal education but only as secondary elective. While these people are extremely valuable in every culture, most school systems are choosing to eliminate the arts when budget cuts are necessary, leaving kids who thrive in this form of intelligence struggling under a curriculum designed primarily for the analytical thinkers.

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(3) Practical Intelligence

Some people may call this “horse sense.” This form of intelligence describes the person who seems to have a practical solution to life’s everyday problems. The Bible calls this wisdom. While not necessarily showing brilliance in school, these people go on to have exceptional careers in life as they are able to sensible solutions to complex problems.

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(4) Emotional Intelligence

This has been the subject of some study in recent years. People are beginning to realize that success isn’t always enjoyed by the most analytically intelligent people but by those who can stay emotionally stable over time when challenges present themselves. Emotionally intelligent people have the ability to stay consistently positive through most circumstances.

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(5) Social Intelligence

Some people have the ability to influence people and make friends wherever they go. We call someone with this type of intelligence a “people-person.” They naturally have social abilities that attract people. These folks know what to say at the right time. They are the life of the party. They know everybody. They are connecters. Anytime there is a problem, they can give you the name of a person who has the answer. They specialize in people.

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(6) Spiritual Intelligence

From a Biblical worldview, we understand that the spiritual world is just as real as the physical world. Some people have the ability to flow very naturally in both. I know people who may not measure high on other intelligence scales but are off the chart on this one. With ease, they can navigate through complex and confusing circumstances to hear what God is saying prophetically and see things in the spirit that other people cannot.

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(7) Verbal Intelligence

This is the ability to communicate; to tell a story; to express oneself with words. Even if these people don’t have the answer, they convince everyone else that they do! They are salesmen. These wordsmiths have an intelligence that crafts language into easily understood concepts that anyone can understand. They can easily influence groups of people great and small with their words.

Take a good look at that list. Where are you the strongest? Where are you the most intelligent? Where are you the weakest? As stated in the beginning, we can strengthen our intelligence in any of these seven areas if we try. While some forms of intelligence may come more naturally, with a little attention and some hard work, you can become well-rounded in your intellectual abilities. This will help you achieve your goals in life and influence more people for good. Start the journey today.

God spoke a prophetic word to me quite unexpectedly last night. Naturally, I wanted to share it with our closest family and friends in this blog.

Many people are asking, “What is God up to?” The season we are in seems to be one of great silence. Many people are looking for something God is doing powerfully in the Body of Christ and can’t seem to find it. They want to hear specific marching orders for the church but can’t seem to hear them.

But do not mistake God’s silence for inactivity!

Here is what God spoke clearly to me when I asked that question:

“This is a season of net-mending in the Body of Christ.”

My mind has washed over these words in the last few days and I am convinced that this is a word that must be shared. God IS moving mightily on the earth! But at the present time, His movements are largely contained in mending His nets.

We are those nets. We are connected to one another through strategic, covenant relationships. In the past few seasons in the Body of Christ, we have been in great battles and in great revivals. The stress of these events have damaged and broken the nets in many places. When you look around the church today, you can see evidence of the stress. There are been broken lives, broken marriages, broken friendships, broken ministries, broken churches, broken relationships and broken people.

Before the next great move of God, the Lord is going to repair those nets!

Consider how fishing net is constructed. Notice that each square is connected above, beside and beneath. In the old days, small knots were tied at each connection point. The power of the net was only as strong as its weakest connection. This is why we must allow God to test and strengthen key relationships in this hour.

This was one of Nicki’s main prophetic words in 2009 – “strengthen key relationships.” It has been proven true. Over the past two years, God has been strengthening key relationships in our lives so we can form a stronger net to contain the great catch of souls that is coming into the Kingdom of God.

Specifically, there are five things that this prophetic word means to you and me.

(1) Make sure that your family ties strengthen during this season.

God wants to strengthen marriages and the bond between parents and children. Also, make sure that you remain in good standing with extended families members as much as possible – especially those in the Body of Christ. Make time for each other and deliberately plan family events where old connections can be renewed.

(2) Make sure you aligned under proper authority.

Don’t be caught without a connection to the portion of the net above you. Submit yourselves to spiritual leaders you can trust – those who truly look out for your souls. Make sure you are in relationships with leaders who walk in humility but also great power, vision and purpose.

(3) Surround yourself with people who are covenant keepers.

Now is the time to make sure your friends are people who can make and keep their promises. Set yourself in the midst of committed friends. You need people of great love and integrity you can walk with you so when the trials of live come, they are not ripped apart by false accusation, jealously, competition, offense, gossip, bitterness, etc.

(4) Beware of the spirit of offense.

Satan will try and come after your “net connections.” He probably already has! Don’t let yourself get offended with your spiritual leaders. Don’t allow small issues to fester and become infected through bitterness and unforgiveness. Beware of the enemy’s devices that will bring division and offense between you and others in the church. This is all part of his ploy to further weaken the nets that are being strengthened.

(5) Do not get bored or impatient in this season and check-out of the army of God.

As God is silently mending his nets for the next great catch, you must not allow yourself to get bored and stray from your assignment. Don’t let yourself wander off into something new unless God is specifically directing it. Presumptions about the will of God will get you into trouble. The enemy will try to lure you into some other activity if you let your mind get sidetracked and don’t stay focused on your last marching orders.

Nicki and I want you to know that we are “tied” to you in this hour. Our heart’s desire is to empower you to reach your full potential; to become all that God has designed for you to be and for you to do. Be blessed!

Satan has an agenda to destroy families! The average American marriage lasts only 7 years! The staggering statistic is that 50 % of all marriages end in divorce! Even more disheartening, that divorce rate is the same in the church…

We know that the enemy wants to kill, steal, and destroy! Certainly, we must be aware of the assignment against marriages and family, but we also need to understand that we have a choice in the matter.

There are little things which if left unchecked become mountains in our relationships. We have identified Twenty Marriage Killers that every husband and wife need to be aware of and avoid!

20 Ways to Kill Your Marriage

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1. Failing to realize we are created differently.
If you haven’t figured it out by our last two blogs, men and woman are different! We shop differently, drive differently, and tell a story differently. And we love differently. We must learn to appreciate the way our spouse loves and love them back in the way they need.

2. Expecting  your spouse to meet all your needs.
The quicker we understand that our spouse was not created to meet all our needs, the happier we will be! God brought you together to not meet each other’s needs, but to complement one another and partner together to fulfill your purpose. Finding true peace in life is a result of your relationship with God.

3. Putting yourself first.
When I first got married, I thought marriage was 50/50. After a few years and realizing marriage wasn’t a fairy tale, I thought marriage was 80/20 (of course you know it was me who was giving the 80%!) But after 25 years of marriage, I have come to this conclusion… Marriage is 100/100! The most successful marriages are those who esteem one another higher and focus on the needs of the other.

4. Ignoring your spouse’s needs.
Having discovered the different needs of men and women, this point goes along with the previous point. Dismissing their needs as unimportant, unrealistic, or emotional creates hurt, anger, and frustration. Ignoring your spouse’s needs makes them
feel rejected and unimportant!

5. Demanding  your spouse to change while making no effort yourself to change.
Realize this- you can’t change anyone but yourself. The responsibility rests upon you to change your life. You will be rewarded greatly by God for your efforts.

6. Criticizing your spouse.
We must be careful that we don’t find fault in everything our spouse does or says. Make it a point to complement them every day and express your appreciation for the little things they do for you!

7. Blaming your spouse.
We must be able to admit when something is our fault. At some point, we have to take responsibility for who we are, what we have done, and where we are going. Quit playing the blame game….this creates a pattern of blame that bleeds over into every area of your life!

8. Puting them down in front of other people- Disrespect!!!!
Putting down your spouse, criticizing, and making jokes about their character, physical flaws, values, etc. in front of people is totally DISRESPECTFUL! Many times it is true that when someone “jokes” and puts you down, it is really what is in their heart.

9. Lack of quality time together.
Surveys confirm this is the number one need of women in relationships. Fellas, this doesn’t mean your wife sitting on the couch while you devour a dominos pizza and a 2 liter of coke and catch the Laker’s game! Gals, this doesn’t mean you dragging your man through every store in the mall. Find something you both enjoy and do it together!

10. Speaking Harsh words.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me!” BIG LIE! Words Kill! We must learn to bridle our tongue. Don’t speak mean, unkind, and critical words but speak words of goodness, kindness, and life. There is life and death in the power of your words!

11. Taking your spouse for granted.
Don’t assume your spouse knows how much you treasure them. It is important to tell them how you feel and how much you love them every day.

12. Not trusting one another.
Don’t keep secrets! A healthy marriage is one in which there is open honest communication. Trust is an investment worth making.

13. Refusing to apologize.
Apologizing is a humbling experience that makes you vulnerable and dependent upon your spouses grace and forgiveness. It creates an opportunity for deeper connection and relationship on a level far beneath the surface.

14. Refusing to accept an apology.
When your spouse apologizes they are being vulnerable. Refusing to forgive creates another layer of protection shielding their soul from feeling rejected. Apologies and forgiveness always creates a deeper level of intimacy and love between two people.

15. Not fighting fair.
Shutting down is as manipulative as blowing up. Pouting to get your way is a form of manipulation that is destructive to relationships and loses its effectiveness over time. The more you do it, the less likely it is to succeed.

16. Throwing up things from the past.
If God chooses to forgive our sins, then we have no right to bring them back up!

17. Not keeping yourself looking good for your spouse.
Remember the days when you were dating? You wanted to look good and act right to impress the person you wanted to win over. We should keep that same frame of mind, even though we are now married. Keeping yourself looking good will remind your spouse why they first fell in love with you.

18. Going to bed angry.
The bible says “Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath”. Psychologists agree the thoughts we take to bed with us will either bless us or haunt us even while we sleep. Don’t carry yesterday’s anger into today. Forgive before its bedtime.

19. Threatening Divorce!
This should never happen! Divorce is not an option for two Christians. Breaking covenant carries with it some of the most serious curses on individuals, families, and societies. Christians should be the bedrock of blessings on our nation.

20. Choosing to live a Separate Life while living under the same roof!
What is worse than passionate disagreement is an apathetic relationship. Sleeping in separate rooms, eating at separate tables, socializing with separate friends, participating in separate activities, and pursuing separate interests are all signs of an unhealthy marriage. Marriage is a partnership. Live life together.

Did this article speak to you? Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

(1) I thrive when we spend time together.

We were created to conquer together, and I am at my best when we are side by side.   The number one thing women said they needed was spending time together!

(2) I need to feel like I am the most important thing in your world.

Of course I know you love me, but I need to feel loved by you.  Everything from taking out the trash to hugs and kisses assures a wife that her husband cares for her.  This should be natural for you because working for those you love is one of your love languages!

(3) I need you to be faithful, loyal, and dependable.

I need to know that you will always be there in the good times and in the bad.  That you will love me when I am old, wrinkled, and flabby.

(4) I need provision as well as your protection.

A woman has a deep need for security and your generosity goes a long way in letting her know that you are there to take care of her.  Allow the marriage to be a true partnership.  This includes the finances.

(5) I need communication and conversation.

Make it a point to talk to your wife about your day and hers.  It may be difficult but it’s a part of creating a team.  Why is it so tough for men to communicate?  A great deal of research has been done of this subject with some interesting results…

FACT:  Women speak three times more words a day than men – 20,000 vs. 7000!

FACT:  Women spend more time spend more time talking about their problems

FACT:  Little girls start at a young age communicating with one another (Little boys play side by side, little girls play face to face).

Psychiatrists state that inborn differences between male and female brain starts in the womb.

In males, testosterone is released and baths the brain in the womb.  This testosterone hinders part of the brain development in the areas primarily affecting emotions, speech, communication, and relationships.

While these differences are natural and create the abilities for husbands and wives to make a formidable team, they also create obstacles that are difficult, but not impossible, to overcome.

(6) I need you to really listen to me.

Women offer sympathy, men offer solutions. This is natural.  However, women need men to listen to them and not necessarily give advice. Women need to talk about their days, talk about their feelings, and talk about their problems.  Women work through things by talking them out.  Guys, learn how to be a good listener.  Look her in the eye, acknowledge her situation, but hold back from offering all the answers!

(7) I need to hear you say “I love you” – everyday.

Women are great at communicating love through not only deeds but words.  Your wife needs to hear you love her everyday.  Don’t take for granted that she knows it, tell her!

(8) I need to be romanced.

Women need 8-10 nonsexual, meaningful touches everyday.   This is not groping mind you !   A tender touch, a cuddle on the couch, a hug when I am doing the dishes scores big points and leads me to number 7…

(9) I love sex just as much as you do.

However, I need romance with the sex.   Men are like microwave ovens and women are like crock pots.  So do some slow roasting, boys! 

(10) I need to be treated like your partner.

Marriage is a partnership and I am your partner. We are conquering life together.  We are a team.  We need to be equal in decision making, budgeting, parenting, etc. Don’t make me feel inferior, treat me like your slave or make me parent you like your mother did.  Together, we can take on the world!

As we discovered from the last two blogs men and women are very different.  The strength of their relationship rests upon those differences. Together they create the most powerful union in the universe!

Did this article speak to you? Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”

Because of this, one can understand these 10 things that men wish their wives understood about them and how they may want to say it:

(1) I would rather be rejected than disrespected.

Husbands need to know that their wives admire them and believe in them.  Whenever words and actions are perceived as disrespectful, it cuts to the heart of a man – whether privately or publically.

(2) Your words are like weapons.

Women are verbal and state their case in words.  Men feel the sharpness of these words and hear them as disrespectful and painful.

(3) My anger and withdraw is a response to feeling disrespected by you.

When a husband becomes angry with his wife, there’s a good chance that he is feeling hurt by something his wife has said to him which he considers to be disrespectful.  Men typically deal with being disrespected by becoming angry.  Since expressing it overtly is unacceptable, they will express it covertly by becoming passive aggressive and/or withdrawing altogether.

(4) I gain my self-worth from achievement.

Deep down, men are afraid that they aren’t measuring up in life.  Inwardly, they harbor secret insecurities and often feel vulnerable.  A healthy dose of affirmation from their wives will go a long way.  If they don’t receive this affirmation, they will find somewhere else.

(5) My work is a love language to you and our children.

Men feel the burden of being providers for their family.  It is another one of those traits that are hardwired in a man’s psyche.  Women can motivate their husbands with appreciation, encouragement and support.

(6) Sex is more than you reluctantly giving in to me.

When husbands feel their wives desire them sexually, it gives them an increasing sense of confidence that carries over into every sphere of life.  Remember what I said in the introduction, “Men are hardwired to affirm themselves by conquest, acquisition, achievement and multiplication.”  When husbands feel rejected sexually, it cuts to the core of their identity and self-esteem.

(7) My struggle with visual temptation doesn’t mean that I don’t love you.

Men respond to visual images.  They are created that way.  Because of this, many men are prone to a wandering eye.  This doesn’t mean, however, that they don’t love their wives. While this is NOT an excuse for lust, pornography or flirtatious behavior, women need to understand that men who struggle with these sins do so despite the fact that their wives are loving and faithful to them.  The forces that drive men to these behaviors are a result of other issues in their hearts and minds and are not necessarily connected to the conduct of their wives.

(8) I enjoy romance, but I don’t know how to do it very well.

Men want to be romantic but they don’t always know how. They are plagued by internal insecurities and perceived risks of failure. A wife needs to understand that an invitation to do yard work or go to a ballgame is an invitation to be together as a couple.

(9) Your appearance matters.

Men need their wives to make an effort to take care of themselves.  To a husband, their wife’s appearance is a reflection of their own abilities and success in attracting the right mate.

(10) I want you to know how much I love you.

Men ultimately want their wives to know how much they love them.  How they express this love, however, is congruent with how men are created, “by conquest, acquisition, achievement and multiplication.”  By achieving in these areas, men are saying to their wives, “Honey, I love you!”

Husbands: What do you wish your wives knew about you?!

Wives: What do do you wish your husbands knew about you?!

Leave a comment below of what YOU WISH your spouse knew about you!

Authority

“the ability to gain the respect of other people and to influence what they do (Encarta Dictionary)”

In order to exercise true authority in your sphere (home, ball team, work, church, civic organization, etc.) consider these Five Levels of Authority that can serve as a roadmap to ever-increasing effective leadership.  These levels reflect the two qualities mentioned above – authority that is both earned and progressive.

Level #1:  Positional Authority

This is authority that is gained when someone is given a position.  It is the lowest form of authority.  Although this may be the starting point of leadership, effective leaders move quickly from this position and onto the next level.  Leaders who don’t navigate from this lowly state of authority flex their muscle in a limited sphere but never produce the kinds of followers that can achieve beyond the limits of what is absolutely necessary.

The followers give OBEDIENCE on this level.

People will only do what is absolutely necessary in order to keep their jobs or to stay on the team at this level…but not an inch more!  They only follow this type of leader because they have to.  Once the limits of the leader’s stated authority have been reached, the follower checks out.

Level #2:  Relational Authority

This describes a new level of authority that is gained when leaders connect with their followers on a personal level.  At this point, people know that the leader genuinely cares for them and has their best interests at heart.  This empowers the leader with new authority that can take the team to a higher level of achievement.

The followers give LOVE on this level.

People will genuinely like this leader.  They will work a little harder for him/her because they feel like the leader cares for them.  They can see the leader’s heart and they like what they see.  They view them on a personal level and not just as boss.

Level #3:  Experiential Authority

This is authority that is achieved by displaying competency.  Leaders at this level must have a track record.  They have proven themselves trustworthy over a course of time.  They have attained a certain type of knowledge that only comes from experience.  By its nature, this level of authority cannot be achieved quickly.

The follower gives TRUST on this level.

It is quite possible for people to love their leaders but not fully trust their competency in certain areas.  It doesn’t mean that the leader has done anything wrong; it simply means that they are unproven.  Over time, however, leader can earn trust as they display greater degrees of competency through experience.

Level #4:  Moral Authority

This level represents what the leader endures over time.  Eventually, all organizations face crisis.  It could be an attack from within or from without.  When this occurs, all eyes are on the leader to see how they are going to handle the stress; the betrayal; the moral dilemma; the ethical situation; the conflict, etc.  When leaders hold firm to their ethics and their character stays intact during a crisis, they achieve Moral Authority.  This represents a new dimension of authority that gives the leader the right to speak and act in a variety of situations.

The followers give RESPECT on this level.

While people may love a leader because of who they are, the respect a leader for what he/she does.  Respect is earned by a leader’s conduct through troubles and trials.  When leaders achieve respect through Moral Authority, they can lead people to places that were otherwise impossible.

Level #5:  Parental Authority

This is the highest level of authority that a leader can achieve.  It represents a place where leaders reproduce themselves in others.  Like any good parent, leaders on this level have a desire to see their children achieve more than they have.

The follower gives HONOR on this level.

When followers see a parental attitude in their leaders, they want to be like them.  They will honor them through replication.  One of the Ten Commandments in the Bible says to honor your father and your mother.  In these days of fallen leaders, one can’t help but wonder if people have very many examples like this to follow.  Let’s hope so!

…And let us commit ourselves to be one of them!